Excessive use of "illegible" flag?

Introduction

Since we are no longer able to check and capture all of the thousands of spots marked as illegible (we have been converting most of them inhouse to (e.g.)

<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word" RESP="apex">),

it is all the more important that no text be be marked as illegible unless it really is illegible. We continue to find both some overuse of the illegibility flag itself, as well as use of $$word$$ when only a single character or two is obscure. In both cases, there is often a very substantial difference in intelligibility and searchability between the data as produced and the kind of data that we think possible.

Compare: (S10764 image 74, top left):

Data as submitted (virtually gibberish)

Peter</HI> succeeded <HI>$$Word$$,</HI> to <HI>$$Word$$
$$Word$$</HI> to <HI>$$Word$$ $$Word$$:</HI> <HI>In
this order of succession no Donatist $$Word$$ is found
and hauing brought such like other witnes of the Church,
he afterward addeth. $$Word$$ we do not presume so much
of these documents, as of the holy spriptures, where
the $$Word$$ of Christ is promised vnto the endes of
the earth.</HI>

We'd prefer to see this, at worst:

Peter</HI> succeeded <HI>Linus,</HI> to <HI>Linus
Clemens</HI> to <HI>Clemens Ana|cletus.</HI> <HI>In
this order of succession no <HI>Donatist</HI> bis$op is found,
and hauing brought such like other witnes of the Church,
he afterward addeth. Alt$ough we do not presume so much
of these documents, as of the holy spriptures, where
the inhe$i|tance of Christ is promised vnto the endes of
the earth.</HI>

Individual examples

Each of the words instanced below was captured as "$$word$$", i.e. as illegible for one reason or another.

Example Transcription Comment

sore Each of the letters in this word is about as perfect an example of that letter as can be found, and is typical of the letter form as found in the book as a whole.

pery Each of the letters is perfectly clear. Perhaps it was flagged as illegible simply because it is not a familiar modern English word??

moderate There are some slight defects here: a loop to the end of the "r" (a variant form found elsewhere); and the lower bowl of the final "e". We think this one's legible, but would have accepted "moderat$" in a pinch.

barbary Only defect appears to be slight curtailment of the top right of the second "r". Again, this seems legible to us, but we would have accepted "barba$y"

heale No real defects at all aside from slight notch in upright of "l," certainly no worse than in other examples of "l" successfully captured elsewhere.

frowardlye Only defect appears to be inked-in bowl of final "e", which is nevertheless pretty clearly an "e". Would have accepted "frowardly$" but grudgingly.

ac No apparent defect.

ut non
[two words] No apparent defect.

hoc Slight break in "o"; still legible.

forreine Clumsy second "r"; capture as "forreine" or (possibly) "for$eine".

Soueraigne, Only defect is chipped "r"; capture as "Soueraigne," or possibly "Soue$aigne"

vtilitate, No significant defects.

diuersitie Upper bowl of final "-e" inked in; slightly truncated "r"; still legible.

fruit, Stray dot in center of "u"; weak final "-t"; still legible.

deuotion Cross-bar of "t" truncated. Capture as "deuotion" or "deuo$ion"

Plu|tarch Final "h" difficult to distinguish from "b": "Plu|tarch" or "Plu|tarc$"

tan|tam Second "t" is a little weak: "tan|tam" or "tan|$am"

laudes Hairline loop at bottom of "u" is missing (though character still not really uncertain): "laudes" or "la$des"

pronunciauit. Hairline loop at bottom of second "u" is partly missing (though character still not really uncertain): "pronunciauit." or "pronuncia$it."

animosè "s" is mostly missing: animosè or animo$è

Example	Transcription	Comment
	sore	Each of the letters in this word is about as perfect an example of that letter as can be found, and is typical of the letter form as found in the book as a whole.
	pery	Each of the letters is perfectly clear. Perhaps it was flagged as illegible simply because it is not a familiar modern English word??
	moderate	There are some slight defects here: a loop to the end of the "r" (a variant form found elsewhere); and the lower bowl of the final "e". We think this one's legible, but would have accepted "moderat$" in a pinch.
	barbary	Only defect appears to be slight curtailment of the top right of the second "r". Again, this seems legible to us, but we would have accepted "barba$y"
	heale	No real defects at all aside from slight notch in upright of "l," certainly no worse than in other examples of "l" successfully captured elsewhere.
	frowardlye	Only defect appears to be inked-in bowl of final "e", which is nevertheless pretty clearly an "e". Would have accepted "frowardly$" but grudgingly.
	ac	No apparent defect.
	ut non [two words]	No apparent defect.
	hoc	Slight break in "o"; still legible.
	forreine	Clumsy second "r"; capture as "forreine" or (possibly) "for$eine".
	Soueraigne,	Only defect is chipped "r"; capture as "Soueraigne," or possibly "Soue$aigne"
	vtilitate,	No significant defects.
	diuersitie	Upper bowl of final "-e" inked in; slightly truncated "r"; still legible.
	fruit,	Stray dot in center of "u"; weak final "-t"; still legible.
	deuotion	Cross-bar of "t" truncated. Capture as "deuotion" or "deuo$ion"
	Plu\|tarch	Final "h" difficult to distinguish from "b": "Plu\|tarch" or "Plu\|tarc$"
	tan\|tam	Second "t" is a little weak: "tan\|tam" or "tan\|$am"
	laudes	Hairline loop at bottom of "u" is missing (though character still not really uncertain): "laudes" or "la$des"
	pronunciauit.	Hairline loop at bottom of second "u" is partly missing (though character still not really uncertain): "pronunciauit." or "pronuncia$it."
	animosè	"s" is mostly missing: animosè or animo$è

Strings of capitalized (line-initial) words marked as "$$word$$" lead us to suspect that it is simply the presence of capital letters that is rendering the words illegible. Capital letters in textura type can require a little training and letter-comparison to be recognized unambiguously, but in this case it appears as though, with certain letters at least, no one tried.

S

Sending
She
Sorowe No real defects here aside from slightly exotic capital "S"

A

After
And
Alas No real defects here aside from common form of capital "A"

W

With
What
Whiche No real defects here aside from common form of capital "W"

B
P
H

Borne
Passe
Her Some slight breaking of "r" in "Borne" and of "e" in "Her", but not enough to render the words illegible--if not for the common but apparently unrecognized forms of the capital "B", "P", and "H".

S	Sending She Sorowe	No real defects here aside from slightly exotic capital "S"
A	After And Alas	No real defects here aside from common form of capital "A"
W	With What Whiche	No real defects here aside from common form of capital "W"
B P H	Borne Passe Her	Some slight breaking of "r" in "Borne" and of "e" in "Her", but not enough to render the words illegible--if not for the common but apparently unrecognized forms of the capital "B", "P", and "H".